Fenerbahce destroys Panathinaikos to seal playoffs berth

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul became the first team to secure playoffs qualification with a comprehensive 85-66 home victory over Panathinaikos OPAP Athens on Friday night. The Turkish team raced away with the game in the second quarter and never looked back, ensuring a post-season berth in impressive fashion. Fenerbahce’s Italian duo did much of the damage, as Nicolo Melli scored 14 points while Gigi Datome added 12, with both players only missing one shot. Marko Guduric also scored 12 points, and Erick Green netted all 12 of his points in the final quarter. Sean Kilpatrick paced Panathinaikos, which has now lost nine consecutive away games, with 19 points, and DeShaun Thomas added 13.

Thomas scored 5 early points to send Panathinaikos ahead, but a three-pointer and fade-away jumper from Datome sparked Fenerbahce. A big slam from Ahmet Duverioglu gave the home team its first lead, and triples from Melih Mahmutoglu and Melli made it 20-15. Joffrey Lauvergne and Mahmutoglu stretched the lead, before Adreian Payne’s jumper on the buzzer reduced the deficit to 24-18 at the end of the first. Ian Vougioukas scored twice early in the second to pull Panathinaikos back, but Datome, Duverioglu and Guduric gave Fener a 6-0 run and a 31-24 lead. Defenses were on top for the next few minutes, but Melli’s third three-pointer gave the home team a double-digit lead. Kalinic went coast-to-coast and Guduric struck from deep at the buzzer, making it 48-29 at the break. Calathes and Datome traded triples early in the third, and Guduric extended the lead to 20 points from long-range. Melli scored two more baskets – including another triple – but Kilpatrick ended the third quarter with a pair of baskets to make it 63-46. Green scored 9 fast points early in the fourth for a 72-46 edge, before Fener coach Zeljko Obradovic took the opportunity to give a EuroLeague debut to 18-year-old Tarik Biberovic – and the forward obliged by scoring his first points with a layup as the clock wound down.

Magic Melli does it all

Versatile Fener star Nicolo Melli showcased his full array of talents in this encounter. The Italian big man made 4-of-5 three-point shots in his total of 14 points, and also contributed 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.

Second quarter burst boosts Fener

A basket from Ian Vougioukas made it 25-24 early in the second, but Fenerbahce then went on a 23-5 run for the remainder of the quarter to blow the game wide open, and Panathinaikos never got closer than 15 the rest of the way.

Lojeski injury rocks Greens

Panathinaikos’s hopes were hit early in the second quarter when Matt Lojejski was forced to the sidelines through injury. The veteran swingman played no further part after spending just five minutes on the floor.

Next round

Fenerbahce will return from the bye week with a local derby trip to Darussafaka Tekfen Istanbul, while Panathinaikos faces a home meeting with Khimki Moscow Region.

Head Coaches

OBRADOVIC, ZELJKO

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

“Our main goal for the season was to be in the top eight. Congrats to the players for everything they’ve done so far. We played a good game tonight – it was necessary to stop their transition game and I believe this was the key. We didn’t have many turnovers in the first half, which stopped their opportunities to run. We discussed that we had to control the game in that way. Nicolo Melli always works hard for the team, he’s an important player and I’m very happy with him, it doesn’t matter if he scores.”

PITINO, RICK

Panathinaikos OPAP Athens

“When you lose sometimes you feel good about the way your team does things, but tonight’s the first time this season I’ve been really unhappy with our guys, the way we played. It’s obvious we’re not a good shooting team, but what bothers me is that when the shots don’t go in, their level of intensity goes down. If you’re an intelligent basketball player, you have to keep your intensity level. I was very disappointed for the first time. We’ve been practising well but the true mark of a team is how you play on the road, and tonight was a very poor performance by us – and a very good performance by them. They space the floor, they pass well, they shoot well – they are the antithesis of us. They are a better team – they shoot it better and pass it better. Very good basketball team. One thing I’ve been really impressed with in Europe: the crowds are much better here than the NBA. Zalgiris, Maccabi, here…these would be top five in US colleges in terms of passion and enthusiasm. The NBA doesn’t have these kind of fans, and that’s something I really enjoy about EuroLeague. I’m enjoying the EuroLeague a lot, and learning a lot.”

Players

MELLI, NICOLO

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

“The only goal today was to win the game, and now we are qualified for the playoffs which is good but we have to fighting to keep the best position possible. It was a good game today, we should be proud. We won by 20 and this is the only thing that counts, I was able to help the team today and I’m happy.”

GUDURIC, MARKO

Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul

“We are very proud, it’s a good result and it was important to win at home, to protect our home court. We are looking forward to the next games. The key was our defense – we were very aggressive, we helped each other and were very concentrated. I’m very happy for the team. It’s always good to play at home, I love the fans.”

KILPATRICK, SEAN

Panathinaikos OPAP Athens

"I think, as the coach said, we should play as if there is no tomorrow. We made many turnovers and at this arena that is not allowed. We made crazy passes. I want to be aggressive and have the ball in my hands. But the most important thing is victory, and we did not succeed. It is disappointing. We are not mentally focused on away games. We have no tension. Fener took advantage of our mistakes and scored easy shots out of them."